Many people can eat a couple of eggs per day. But the amount may vary for certain groups.
Eggs are a popular and highly nutritious food rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, protein, and fat. In parts of the world where eggs are affordable and easily accessible, many people eat them regularly or even daily.
At some point, you may have heard that the cholesterol found in eggs contributes to heart disease — the leading cause of death around the world.
For years, this belief was perpetuated by health officials and medical and nutrition associations alike, leading some people to avoid eating eggs.
Eggs are undoubtedly higher in cholesterol than many other foods. Still, they’re also packed with beneficial bioactive compounds and other disease-fighting nutrients.
Recent research suggests that the link between eating eggs and elevated heart disease risk may not be as strong as once thought — though there is still much debate on the topic.
Many health guidelines and recommendations have lessened the restrictions they once set around egg consumption. Yet, many people still worry that eggs could be detrimental to their heart health.
This article explores the relationship between eggs, cholesterol, and heart health. It includes recommendations for how many eggs you can safely eat and who should consider limiting their intake.
Do eggs raise cholesterol levels?
Recent observational studies and meta-analyses have found that eating eggs may not increase your risk of heart disease or its risk factors, like inflammation, stiffening of the arteries, and high cholesterol levels.
A few randomized controlled trials (RCTs) — the gold standard of scientific research for their ability to reduce bias — note similar findings, though typically in smaller study groups of 20–50 healthy adults.
For example, one small RCT found that when compared with an egg-free high carb breakfast, eating 2 eggs or a 1/2 cup (118 mL) of liquid eggs for breakfast had no significant effects on blood cholesterol levels.
RCTs in people with diabetes have found that eating 6–12 eggs per week didn’t negatively affect total blood cholesterol levels or heart disease risk factors. Rather, it increased high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol.
HDL cholesterol is known as good cholesterol. It removes other types of cholesterol from the blood, so higher HDL levels are favorable.
On the contrary, low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is often referred to as the bad type of cholesterol because it raises your risk of heart disease.
Trials comparing egg-based breakfasts and egg-free meals noted that cholesterol did increase in the egg-breakfast groups. However, the LDL-to-HDL ratio — a biomarker commonly used to assess heart disease risk — remained unchanged.
Nevertheless, other studies have observed links between egg intake, cholesterol levels, and a higher risk of chronic disease and death.
For example, a recent meta-analysis of 17 RCTs found that people with high egg consumption for an extended period of time tend to have higher cholesterol levels than those who eat fewer eggs.
Yet, some studies also say that the negative associations of eating eggs may be more notable if they’re eaten alongside other high cholesterol foods. Aside from eggs, this can include yogurt, cheese, processed meats, and fried foods.
All in all, discrepancies remain about exactly how eggs influence cholesterol and the overall role they play in the risk of heart disease and death. Many experts agree that more human studies are needed to better address these questions.
How many eggs is it safe to eat per day?
As we continue to learn how eggs interact with cholesterol and chronic diseases, it’s becoming increasingly clear that the risk associated with eating too many eggs differs among individuals.
Factors like your genetics, family history, how you prepare your eggs, your overall diet, and even where you live could influence how many eggs you can safely eat per day.
Also, consider the amount of total cholesterol in your diet from foods besides eggs. If your diet is relatively low in cholesterol, you may have more room in it for eggs. However, if your diet is higher in cholesterol, it may be best to limit your egg intake.
For a healthy adult with normal cholesterol levels and no significant underlying heart disease risk factors, some research suggests that 1–2 eggs per day can be safe. It may even be healthy and benefit your heart health.
A small study in 38 healthy adults found that as many as 3 eggs per day improved LDL and HDL levels and the LDL-to-HDL ratio. Yet, experts might shy away from suggesting more than 2 eggs per day, with many still suggesting that you stick to 1.
A study in Korean adults further observed that eating 2–7 eggs per week helped maintain high HDL cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome. Meanwhile, eating 2 or more eggs per day didn’t have the same protective effects.
Metabolic syndrome is a group of conditions that include high blood pressure, blood sugar, and blood fat levels, plus weight gain around the waist. Together, they contribute to an increased risk of chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease.
The risk could vary for different groups
Though it appears that having a couple of eggs a day is safe for most healthy adults, it’s important to note that some research still suggests otherwise — particularly for certain groups.
One study in nearly 200,000 U.S. veterans associated eating just 1 egg per day with a slightly elevated risk of heart attacks. The effect was strongest in those with diabetes or overweight, suggesting that overall health status influences how many eggs are safe to eat.
Similarly, in European and Korean adults, eating 2–4 eggs each week may contribute substantially to dietary cholesterol intake and increase the risk of heart disease, especially in people with diabetes.
Another study looked at a sample of more than 100,000 U.S. adults and found that older adults who ate more than 5–6 eggs per week had a 30% increased risk of heart disease. However, it’s no guarantee the increased risk is due to eggs alone.
Regardless of egg intake, heart disease risk increases as you age due to changes like fat buildup and stiffening of the arteries. Therefore, it’s important to consider your overall picture and health status when deciding how many eggs are safe to eat.
If you have high LDL cholesterol levels, overweight or obesity, a chronic disease like diabetes, or a family history of heart disease, it may be best to eat no more than 1 egg per day or 4–5 eggs per week.
It can be hard to evaluate so many different risk factors on your own. Therefore, working directly with a physician, dietitian, or trained healthcare professional may be the best way to decide how many eggs are safe to eat each day or week.
Is better to eat only egg whites?
On average, 1 large egg contains around 200 mg of cholesterol.
The cholesterol is concentrated in the yolk. Therefore, some people eat only egg whites to reduce their cholesterol intake while still getting a good source of lean protein.
However, you shouldn’t dismiss the yolk completely because of its cholesterol content. The yolk is also the part of the egg that’s packed with iron, vitamin D, carotenoids, and more.
These bioactive nutrients are thought to be responsible for many of the health-promoting qualities of eggs, like reduced inflammation, increased HDL cholesterol levels, and improved metabolic health.
For example, one study in 37 adults with metabolic syndrome found that those who ate a low carb diet including 3 whole eggs per day for 12 weeks had improved markers of inflammation and cholesterol balance, compared with those who ate a yolk-free egg substitute.
At this time, there isn’t much evidence to support eating only egg whites in healthy individuals. In fact, by avoiding the yolk, you might be missing out on many of the health benefits eggs have to offer.
On the other hand, if you’re at high risk of heart disease or already have high cholesterol, prioritizing egg whites and moderating how much egg yolk you eat during the week could help prevent further increases in your cholesterol.
Eggs, cholesterol, and heart disease
Studies show that too much cholesterol, saturated fat, and trans fat from any source can increase blood cholesterol levels — particularly LDL cholesterol, which subsequently raises your risk of heart disease.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans once recommended consuming no more than 200–300 mg of cholesterol per day depending on your heart disease risk factors. A breakfast with 2–3 eggs could easily set you over that limit.
However, that recommendation has since been restated. Now, the same guidelines place no limit on the daily amount of cholesterol in your diet. Instead, they suggest limiting your intake to keep your blood cholesterol levels within normal limits, which is an individual amount.
Though dietary cholesterol can raise LDL levels, it’s important to note that dietary cholesterol is only one piece of the puzzle when it comes to assessing a person’s overall risk of heart disease.
Eggs are high in cholesterol, but they’re not the only food that affects LDL cholesterol levels. For example, high blood cholesterol levels can also be a result of a diet that is:
High in saturated fat. Saturated fats like butter, cheese, and processed meats tend to raise LDL cholesterol levels, especially when compared with unsaturated fats.
High in trans fat. Though some forms of trans fat do occur naturally, they’re usually artificially made and found in fast foods, baked goods, and processed margarine and shortening.
Low in fiber. Adding high fiber foods like oats, beans, peas, seeds, and fruit to your diet might help reduce LDL cholesterol levels and reduce your overall risk of heart disease.
Too high in calories. For some people, limiting their calorie intake — and particularly calories from fat — has been shown to lower LDL cholesterol levels .
Thus, when you’re trying to decide how many eggs it’s safe to eat each day or week, it’s important to consider your whole diet.
If you don’t eat many other cholesterol-containing foods, it may be fine to eat more eggs. However, if you often have eggs with other cholesterol-rich foods like bacon, sausages, or butter, it’s likely better to limit your egg intake.